Month: May 2026

A Compiled Photo Collection and Portfolio Capstone Project of Prayers, Poems, and Positivity along my 2+ Year Magis Journey by Yours Truly!

When I first began embarking upon the journey toward attaining my Master’s of Education degree through the Magis Catholic Education Program at Creighton University, I would have never guessed just how many beautiful blessings and loving lessons and great graces God had in store, both around and especially deep within me! The following is a compilation and collection of the vast majority of my poetic writing from since February 2024, when I first had my initial interview with the Magis program supervisor. Each of these stanzas represents a sentiment experienced, an insight explained, or perhaps just a thought expressed along these past 2+ years, wherein I have been working a student teacher at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic High School in Lee’s Summit, MO… It’s been a CRAZY WILD RIDE, full of ups and downs (but let’s be honest…mostly UPS!), and I wouldn’t have traded any moment of it for the whole world, for through it all, the Lord Jesus, His Mother Mary, and indeed, Saint Joseph and all of Heaven too, have been holding, healing, and helping me, physically, mentally, and spiritually, become the MAN that God has made me to be!

May the Three Sacred Hearts bless you as you read these words and view their depictions, often generated with or edited by online or even AI technology (usually Canva or ChatGPT!). And through them, I pray that you may come know more and more of God’s intimate yet intimate, personal yet profound, ever-ancient yet always-anew LOVE for each and every one of you!

PS- You just might spot a good amount of “BAGELS!” ACROSTIC POEMS (and one “MUFFINS!” one as well)… Don’t be alarmed! This was born out of a tradition of dropping off “Tuesdays Baker’s Dozen” discounted bagels from Panera to my staff at SMA! (My apologies if they make you a little hungry! Lol! Enjoy!!!)

“What Magis Has Done For Me”

Among all of my poems, one stands out as being of particular relevance to my Magis journey. As many of the closest people in my life know, I lost my job in May of 2023 after an extremely trying work situation at my my former school. Truly, in some ways, I felt like a failure, like my life had spun out of control.

I had no idea where God was leading me, but I knew where He was. So I did the only thing I knew I could. I clung to Him in the Eucharist and His Mother (and mine!) through the Rosary, often bawling like a little baby in the back cry room at my home Parish… Yet then, something amazing happened. I discovered Magis. After an initial conversation with Jeremy, one of the program directors at that time, the proverbial words of my YiaYia (grandma) were still echoing within me: “Go back to school! Pursue higher education!”

I knew exactly what I had to do. After a series of application interviews and much prayerful discernment, I officially accepted my offer to the program and began a two year journey in June of 2024 that would change my life forever, for the better. Now, after student teaching for nearly two years at St. Michael the Archangel, I can say for sure that I am not a failure at all.

I am a Catholic educator, a spiritual author, a musical composer, a prayer leader, and arguably, (if you count ChatGPT), a graphic designer too!

And now, I am (about to be!) a graduate of Creighton University’s Master’s of Education.

Colleen…Jill…Dr. B…James…Drake…Gabe…and all my Magis family and friends. Here’s to you. And to all the failures, faults, and flaws in us each that God can take and make new and exciting moments, miracles, and indeed, masterpieces, out of His endless Love and Mercy!

That is what He has done through Magis. And that what Magis has done for me.

God bless and GO MAGIS!

Yours in Jesus, Mary, and Joseph! (JMJ)

Greg O. Perenich, ND Class of 2018, Magis Class of 2026

Verse: “Therefore, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and constraints, for the sake of Christ; for when I am weak, then I am strong.” -2 Corinthians 12:10

Quote: “What may have appeared to be failure to you in your past, may look like success to you when viewed from my eyes. I am looking at effort, not result. The result of an effort is my affair and you must leave that to me. So, in the name of reflection, look back now on your life. Think of these things that haunt you as failures. Did you try in these endeavors? Did you often do your best? When you saw a thing falling apart did you attempt to change your approach? Perhaps your failures were not failures at all. Perhaps you were seeking and not finding. Be at peace. You have found me now and I will bring you every success, regardless of how the world views your endeavors. You are succeeding now, my beloved child, because you are sitting quietly while I minister to your soul and heal your wounds. Yes, we are a success. Together, we do not fail. Today is your beginning. Start freshly with me right now and all possibilities open before you.” -Jesus via ‘Anne, Apostle of the Returning King’ in Volume 2: Thoughts on Spirituality